Can antibiotics used during the flu worsen lung immunity? A new study puts it clear!

A research team from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center found that taking antibiotics during the flu can negatively affect the immune system in the lungs, especially in the context of protecting against bacterial complications of the flu.

What exactly did they find?

Antibiotics can disrupt the balance of “good” bacteria and fungi in the gut, which affects the body’s immune response.

This causes an increase in the number of certain immune cells in the lungs (called eosinophils), which, when in excess, have negative effects:

They weaken the lungs’ ability to defend themselves against dangerous bacteria (e.g. MRSA).
They increase inflammation, which makes it harder for the body to fight off infections.

It can be compared to a situation when firefighters arrive at a fire, but instead of putting out the fire, they accidentally cause more damage themselves.

How does this translate to the health of children and adults?

A study of patients showed that unnecessary antibiotics can:

Weaken the body during the flu.
Make recovery more difficult, especially in the case of bacterial complications.

What does this mean in practice?

Antibiotics are an important tool in treating bacterial infections, but:

They do not work on viruses like the flu.
They should only be used when a doctor confirms that a bacterial infection is actually present.

Source:
Susanna Tall, PhD; Suvi M. Virtanen, MD, PhD; Mikael Knip, MD, PhD, Day Care Attendance and Risk of Type 1 Diabetes, JAMA Pediatr. Published online November 4, 2024. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2024.4361

Dr Aleksandra Gajecka
Pediatrician in Malta

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